The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 243 Bridge Sword (3k)

Hearing this slightly mischievous voice, Du Yuan felt a little helpless.

He recalled this person's assessment of the kitten: although it was indeed always gentle and refined, it would sometimes remember your 'faults' and give you a 'soft rebuff' that was both funny and frustrating.

Du Yuan scratched her head, no longer dwelling on the previous topic, and instead asked in a softer tone:
"Then, could you tell me the name of this sword first?"

The sarcasm in the voice hadn't faded; it still carried a hint of teasing.
"No, that won't work. If we reveal the name too early, won't the fun of searching for the sword be greatly diminished?"

"This..." Du Yuan sighed helplessly, her tone becoming more solemn. "Now that the great era is approaching, and I am fortunate to have such a profound connection with you, wouldn't it be a pity if I were to look for the wrong sword?"

Upon hearing this, the sarcasm in the voice gradually faded, replaced by a serious tone that suggested thoughtful consideration.
"If you've truly chosen the wrong one, perhaps that 'wrong' one is actually the one that truly suits your nature and aligns with your path? After all, the fact that you've chosen the wrong one means that you don't think this sword is truly suitable for you?"

Upon hearing this, Du Yuan was startled, as if struck by a revelation. She then chuckled in realization and gently patted her forehead.
"That's it! I had thought things through clearly before, but now I'm entangled by my obsession. In the end, my cultivation is still not up to par; I always want to achieve perfection!"

Having said that, he straightened his clothes, bowed again with his hands clasped, and spoke with utmost sincerity:
"It's time for Mr. Du to take his leave!"

That gentle voice did not ring out again; only the mountain breeze carried it away.
-
Du Yuan bid farewell to the mountain temple and headed towards the confluence of the rivers.

Since her friend didn't know the exact location either, Du Yuan could only search for it using a geomantic map.

This trip, however, lacked the anxiety of my previous trip to the southwest, and I didn't need to rush back to visit friends like I did last time, so I felt much more relaxed.

This also allows for more leisure and allows one to slow down and appreciate the scenery along the way.

He himself felt a little strange, wondering if it was influenced by the kitten. Now he always preferred to walk along the water's edge, and the sound of the babbling water made him feel inexplicably at ease.

However, there are often desolate wilderness areas along the way, and as you walk, you lose your way and can't even tell where you are.

This time, he encountered the same predicament again. Looking up, all he saw were similar-looking green mountains in front of and behind him, and the flowing water at his feet was indistinguishable from the others.

Although he held a geomantic map in his hand, in places with similar scenery, holding the map was almost the same as not having it at all.

He glanced down at the geomantic map one last time—it was more impressionistic than realistic, and in some places it was so rough that it was almost abstract.

Du Yuan shook her head helplessly, then rolled up the drawing and put it into her personal seal.

The watermark given by the kitten also has the ability to store things, which means that he now has two seals that can store things, and he can use them interchangeably on weekdays, which is quite convenient.

After looking around, Du Yuan began to wonder whether she should use the water imprint to walk on water or the mountain imprint to shrink the earth and go somewhere else.
For a moment, Du Yuan couldn't help but chuckle: sometimes having too many choices can become a "luxurious" problem.

Just as I was pondering this, a hurried shout suddenly came from behind me:
"Young master! Young master, please wait!"

Du Yuan turned around at the sound and saw a fishing boat slowly drifting along the river not far away. A boatman wearing an old straw hat and a coarse cloth jacket stood at the bow, waving at him.

"Boatman, are you calling for me?" Du Yuan asked loudly.

"Of course I'm calling for you!" The boatman poled the boat closer, laughing heartily. "Look at this desolate landscape, is there anyone else besides you?"

Du Yuan laughed along and asked:
"What business does the boatman have with me?"

The boatman raised his hand and pointed to the rolling mountains behind Du Yuan, his eyes showing a knowing look of someone who had been there before:
"What else could it be! Judging from your appearance, young master, this is probably your first time traveling this far. You seem to have gotten lost."

"Please wait on the shore, I'll row the boat over to take you. I can't promise how far I'll take you, but taking you to the county town ahead is more than enough!"

Du Yuan quickly cupped her hands in thanks, her voice full of gratitude: "Then thank you very much for your help, boatman!"

The boatman had already used his bamboo pole to steadily moor the boat at the shore, and stood at the bow with a broad, carefree smile.
"If you really want to thank me, don't be so polite. Just give me a few copper coins later so I can have some wine to relieve my fatigue, that would be wonderful!"

"Definitely, definitely!" Du Yuan replied with a smile, and nimbly stepped onto the boatman's fishing boat.

The current was gentle, and the river was small, so the fishing boats drifted along leisurely. However, looking at the scenery rushing past on both banks, it seemed that the speed was only slow in appearance.

Of course, compared to the kitten's watermark, it's worlds apart, but why bother with such details?
Only by slowing down can we see life clearly and see the world more clearly!
Looking at the scenery on both banks, Du Yuan casually asked, "Boatman, if I may ask you a question, where are we right now?"

The boatman gently dipped his bamboo pole into the water to steady the boat, and gave him a surprised look:
"Oh? Judging from your appearance, you must have already walked a long way?"

“I have indeed traveled quite a distance. Yes, I came from Qingzhou.” “Qingzhou?!” The boatman’s bamboo pole paused abruptly, his eyes lighting up with amazement. “Oh my! That’s incredibly far! When I was young, I went to Qingzhou with a caravan. It took us eight whole days just to get there, and I was so exhausted that I lay in bed for three days afterward to recover! What important matter could you be traveling so far alone for?”

Faced with the boatman's curiosity, Du Yuan simply smiled faintly:
"There's nothing urgent to do, I just want to travel around and see the scenery in different places."

"You certainly have a lot of leisure time!" The boatman clicked his tongue, then couldn't help but worry, "But speaking of which, aren't you, a refined young man, afraid of running into bandits in the mountains while traveling so far alone?"

Du Yuan chuckled upon hearing this, her tone carrying a subtle hint of composure:
"To be honest, boatman, in my opinion, it's those bandits who are afraid of running into me."

Honestly, in all the time Du Yuan has been out here, all she's encountered are monsters or old ghosts. She's never actually met a real, formidable obstacle.

As for what Du Yuan encountered while painting dragons in the Southwest, that wasn't an encounter; Du Yuan actively sought it out.

The boatman laughed heartily, his eyes sweeping over Du Yuan's fair face and refined demeanor, clearly showing no disbelief whatsoever.

In his eyes, this was clearly a naive and uneducated scholar. But he didn't expose this "childish bravado," and simply smiled as he returned to his earlier topic:

"You just asked about the territory. This area is under the jurisdiction of Hexi County. This river also has a common name, Sweet Water River."

"Sweetwater River?" Du Yuan became interested. "That's a novel name. Why is it called 'Sweetwater'?"

When he travels, what he cares about most is the unique local customs and culture of each place.

The boatman smiled so broadly his eyes narrowed:

"Why else? It's because the water in this river is a bit sweeter than water elsewhere, and over time, that's how it got its name. But don't think you can drink it directly just because it's 'sweet.' No matter how sweet it is, it's still river water, not as clean as spring water from the mountains. You have to boil it before you dare to drink it, otherwise you'll get an upset stomach!"

Du Yuan nodded knowingly, then asked:
"Boatman, do you know if there are any rivers or streams converging around here?"

"Rivers meet? Absolutely!" The boatman's eyes lit up, and he gestured twice towards the northeast. "Why is this place called Hexi County? It's because the county seat guards the west bank of the Lan River! If you go east for another ten miles or so, the Lan River will join the Linglong River from the north!"

He paused, then smacked his lips as if remembering something, a look of reminiscence on his face:
“Every year in July and August, when the rainy season begins, the water levels of the Lanhe River and the Linglong River rise. When the two great rivers collide, the waves are truly spectacular! Every year, many tourists from other places come here specifically to see the excitement.”

Could this be the place I've been looking for? Du Yuan's heart skipped a beat, her eyes brightening instantly, and she quickly pressed for more information:

"Have you ever heard any legends or stories about 'swords' at the confluence of rivers?"

"sword?"

The boatman first waved his hand, frowned as if recalling something, then scratched his head and spoke in a muffled tone.

"No, no, no, you can't say there isn't! It's just that it doesn't seem to be unique to this area. When I was young, I traveled all over the country with caravans, and I heard similar stories elsewhere. And it's not over there."

These words only piqued Du Yuan's curiosity further, and she leaned forward, her tone inquiring:

"Oh? Could you tell me more about it? Even just bits and pieces would be helpful."

The boatman glanced down at the water rippling at the bow, then looked up ahead, and suddenly pointed northwest:
“Young master, look, behind that patch of reeds ahead, there’s a dry ditch. That ditch is a branch of the Qingni River. There’s an old stone bridge over the Qingni River, but no one dares to cross it anymore; it’s very desolate.”

He lowered his voice slightly, as if he were talking about something unusual:

"Underneath that stone bridge hangs a sword! The older generation calls it the 'Dragon-Slaying Sword,' saying that it was specially hung up when the road was being built, specifically for the Dragon King who travels through water—they say that if the Dragon King gets angry and stirs up waves to crash against the bridge, this sword can subdue him!"

A sword hangs beneath the bridge, awaiting the slaying of the dragon.

Du Yuan had heard this story countless times from the elders in her hometown when she was a child.

But back home, that would definitely just be a story, while here...
Du Yuan asked curiously:

"If that's the case, have any elders told stories of this Dragon-Slaying Sword actually slaying a dragon?"

Upon hearing this, the boatman waved his hand even more and laughed:
"No, that's even less. The reason why Qingni River is called Qingni is because it only gets a little water during the rainy season when the Lan River rises."

"Where in this land could a Dragon King possibly go?"

(End of this chapter)